The government has taken a big decision for bike taxi companies Ola, Uber and Rapido in Maharashtra. The state government has mandated these companies to make 100 percent of their bike taxi fleet electric by July 2027. That means after a set time, the bike taxi service will have to use electric bikes instead of petrol powered motorcycles.

According to the report, Maharashtra’s transport department has sent a letter in this regard to bike taxi companies and the state’s Regional Transport Office (RTO) in October. This decision has been taken after the directive of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Companies have been given a total of 9 months to fully shift to electric vehicles.

Changes to EVs have to be initiated within the first 6 months

According to the government’s plan, bike taxi operators currently using petrol bikes will have to shift to electric bikes within 6 months in the first phase. At the same time, under the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules 2025, operators with provisional or temporary licenses will get 3 months more time for this. However, concerns of bike taxi drivers and associations have also come to the fore regarding this decision of the government. He says buying an electric bike suddenly won’t be easy for many drivers.

The drivers asked for one and a half years

In September, the Maharashtra Bike Taxi Welfare Association wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other officials seeking one-and-a-half-year time for conversion to electric vehicles. According to Amit Gawde, president of the association, a large number of bike taxi drivers come from the underprivileged. In such a situation it may be difficult for them to buy a new electric bike altogether. Apart from this, lack of adequate EV charging infrastructure in the state is also a major challenge. Drivers have also expressed concern about the battery life of electric vehicles.

The companies wanted an extension till 2030

Bike taxi companies have demanded that the government extend the deadline for transition to an electric fleet to 2030. The companies cited Maharashtra’s electric vehicle policy and the time taken to replace the fleet. However, the government did not fully accept the demands of the companies and fixed a deadline of only 9 months. The decision comes at a time when Maharashtra has stepped up crackdowns against unlicensed or non-compliant bike taxi services.